The Conniption in the Child
by twilitbones
Summary: Booth and Bones talk to Parker about her pregnancy with surprising results. Response to a Bonesology challenge.


**I don't own Bones, I know I have 206 in my body, but the Bones from Fox isn't mine. **

**This is in response to a Bonesology challenge, to write a one shot about a change in a relationship between two characters. **

The Conniption in the Child

Booth was on his way to pick up Parker; they had decided to talk to him this weekend about the baby. Booth remembered his reaction last month when they told him about their new relationship, he was so positive and happy, that neither of them thought this was going to be a problem. He stopped in Rebecca's driveway, and Parker ran into his arms before he even got to the house.

"Dad, I thought you'd never come. I want to talk to Bones about my science project. I can't wait to tell her what my teacher said. She was so excited. Bones is the best ever. I'm so glad you finally decided to make her your girlfriend."

Booth didn't think he would ever tire of his son's exuberance. Parker kept up the nonstop dialogue into the house and while he took his things from Rebecca.

"Parker, hold on a minute." Rebecca stated.

Parker stopped talking.

"Booth, be sure to have him home on time tomorrow. Last time you were a half hour late, and it completely ruined our evening plans."

Booth just nodded his head, and agreed. He had learned a long time ago that arguing with Rebecca was a waste of time. He herded Parker out the door and into the SUV.

"Wow Dad, are you in a hurry?"

"No I just know not to argue with your mother." As soon as it left his mouth, he realized that it was the wrong thing to say.

"Yeah, even Bret knows that. He never argues with Mom, cause she gets real mad."

Booth quickly decided to change the subject.

"We're going to the zoo today."

Parker reacted just how he expected.

"Oh I love the zoo. The monkeys are your favorite, but I like the lions. Did you know they had babies last week? I wanted to go and see them, but Mom didn't have time. This is great. Are we leaving right away?"

"Yes, as soon as we get Bones."

The nonstop prattle continued the rest of the way home and into the house. Parker stopped talking mid sentence when he saw Bones.

"Hi Bones. I'm glad you're here."

He hugged her.

"It's good to see you too, Parker."

"OK, guys let's go."

They left the house listening to Parker's explanation of his science project.

The first thing they saw was the lions, and Parker loved the cubs. When they stopped for lunch, they agreed to tell him about the baby.

"Parker we need to talk to you."

Parker instantly stopped talking.

"What did I do?"

"What? Nothing, Bud. Why did you ask?"

"Cause that tone always means I did something wrong and you want to lecture me."

"No, we just need to talk, ok?"

"OK, Dad."

They both looked at Parker. Booth agreed to let Bones tell him, so he waited for her to speak.

"Parker, you know your Dad and I are together right?"

"Yes." His face took on a heartbreaking look. "Are you leaving Dad?"

"No Parker, why would you say that?"

"Because you look so serious, and I don't want you to leave. I like you the best, and I want you to marry Dad one day. I think that would be the best, cause you could be my Mom."

"No Parker I'm not leaving. I love your Dad very much."

"Good."

Bones shook her head to clear it, and tried again.

"Parker, your Dad and I want to tell you that we are having a baby."

Parker just stared at her, and then looked at his dad. Booth was getting nervous.

"Are you ok Bud?"

"Yes, but will this baby live with you?"

Bones answered.

"The baby will be born around Christmas, and it will live with us. We may buy a house before then too."

"So the baby will be there all the time."

Booth interjected.

"Yes Parker. The baby would live in our house with us. Where else do you think it would live? A baby can't take care of itself, and it needs its mother and father when it is first born."

"So the baby will get to be with you all the time?"

Booth finally understood where this conversation was going.

"Parker, we will still love you. The baby could never take your place."

Tears were beginning to fall down Parker's face.

"I know Dad. But I hardly ever see you and the baby will see you every day that isn't fair."

Booth took a deep breath. He never thought the conversation would go this way. He was concerned about Parker's reaction, and decided that it was time to leave.

"Look, Buddy, let's go home and talk about this. We can explain everything better at home."

Parker just hung his head.

"Ok, Dad."

They left the zoo, and the ride home was very quiet. Bones was worried, she never thought Parker would be upset, but after he mentioned the amount of time he spent with his father, she realized that it should have been predicted. She tried to think of a solution, before they arrived at her home.

"Dad, I want to go home."

"We are Parker."

"No I want to go to my home, with Mom."

"Parker we want to talk about this."

"I don't want to talk to you. I want to go home."

"Parker, we need to settle this before I bring you home."

Parker stopped talking and pouted in the back seat.

.

When they walked in the door, Parker immediately went to his room, and slammed his door. Booth went to follow him, but Bones grabbed his arm.

"Let him go."

Booth was angry.

"My son will not disrespect me. He knows not to slam his door."

"Booth, he's upset. Let it go this time. We will talk to him later."

"Where did that come from? I thought he would be happy, but he seems angry with us."

"Booth, anthropologically Parker is beginning to from a bond with you. He sees you as his role model. Throughout history, boys from nine to eleven create a relationship with their same sex parent. This connection is important to the survival of the species. In the past, it was because the male figure taught their sons how to fight, hunt, and protect their families. Although that is no longer needed in our society, the male gender still has that need to connect. Parker can't help the way he feels. It is genetically part of his makeup."

Booth remembered a similar conversation with Sweets several years ago.

"So what do we do now?"

"Do you think Rebecca would let you see him more? You have a solid family now, and since we are buying a house, it will be even more stable. Maybe you should call her."

"Yeah, I'll call Rebecca, but what do we do now?"

"Call Rebecca, and then we will go and talk to him. I'm new at this parenting thing. You're the expert; you should know what to do."

"Me? I've never had a ten year old boy before, how would I know?"

"You are better at talking to people, call Rebecca, and we'll see what happens. Maybe she will know."

"She was in a bad mood when I picked him up; I hope her mood is better now."

"Maybe she was craving intercourse. You are always more irritable when you want sex."

"Bones, why would you say that?"

"Because it's true, and it must be difficult to have sex when a ten year old boy is in the house. We don't have sex when Parker is here."

"That's because you are too noisy, and besides what we do is not sex, it's making love."

"Booth, just call Rebecca."

He picked up the phone and dialed, taking a deep breath as she answered.

"Hi, Becs."

"Did something happen to Parker, because if you let him get hurt doing one of your harebrained stunts, I am going to take him away from you forever."

"Parker's fine. We told him Bones is pregnant, and he sort of freaked out."

"Seeley, Temperance is pregnant?"

"Yes. We didn't expect this type of reaction from him. He is angry because the baby will be able to live with us all the time. I was wondering if I could see him more often, to kind of help him adjust."

"Seeley, I think you see him enough. Every time he sees you he has a hard adjusting to coming home as it is, and you want me to make it more often?"

"Becs, this is important. Please understand. I never asked for more time before. I always let you make the rules. I've lost so much time with him. I love him, and I would like to see my son more often. I'm a good father. I never hurt him, and I take good care of him."

Bones came up behind him, and held him close. She could see that he was fighting the tears.

"I'll think about it Seeley. I'll call you back later."

She hung up.

"Booth why don't you go talk to Parker alone, I'll be up in a minute."

Booth looked at her, but walked away. He went into Parker's room.

After he left, Bones picked up the phone.

"Hello."

"Hello, Rebecca. This is Temperance; I would like to talk to you."

"I already told Booth, I would think about it."

"I know. I just want to talk. Parker is very important to me, and I think we should get to know one another better. After all, I will be around him more."

"I know. So are you really pregnant?"

"Yes."

"When are you due?"

"Around the middle of December."

"Wow, December babies are hard."

"Yes, but since babies pick their own time to be born, I don't think we will have any choice. Rebecca I want to tell you how important this is to Booth. He loves his son very much. I never saw any father who had such a good relationship with his son. They are connected in a deep and powerful way."

"Don't you think I know that? I can see how much Parker wants to be with his father. I watch it all the time. When he was younger, he kept a calendar in his room and crossed off the days until he would see him again. He gets ready an hour before Seeley shows up and waits by the door, looking out the window the whole time. I think he loves Seeley more than me."

"Rebecca, Parker loves you. He knows how important you are to him, but anthropologically speaking, he needs his father. Boys need a male figure to emulate their behavior as they grow. It will be beneficial for Parker to spend time with Booth. It will help him grow into a strong, self assured man."

"He has Brent."

"A boy needs his biological father. Between nine and eleven, they have an innate need to attach to the same sex parent. Parker needs this time to help him mature. I am not going to argue with you, I just wanted you to know that we will take very good care of Parker, and I think you should really let him see Booth more often. I didn't want to say it, but we can make this legal if we have to."

Rebecca didn't respond. She knew she would lose in a custody battle. She may keep her son, but she would probably have to give Seeley, joint custody.

"Don't threaten me. I said I would think about it. Goodbye."

Bones just looked at her phone, shocked at Rebecca's tone.

.

.

Bones stood outside Parker's room listening to the conversation.

"You know Parker, that I will always love you."

"I know Dad. I'm just pissed. I can't believe you did this. Even I know what a condom is."

"Parker!"

"Well Dad, we had sex Ed in school last year. I know how she got pregnant."

Bones felt it was time to intercede.

"Hi, Parker. Are you feeling any better?"

"No. I'm still pretty mad. I just don't think it is fair that the baby is with you all the time, and I'm not, besides aren't you a little old to have kids?"

"Parker, you will stop this disrespectful tone now."

Bones placed her hand on Booth's arm.

"Wait a minute, Booth. I think it's important for him to say what he is feeling."

Parker looked at Bones.

"I just think that you guys are a little old, I'll be eleven before the baby's born."

"Parker, I have never had a child, and I have always wanted one, especially with your Dad. We love each other very much. This is something I have been thinking about for two years; it was just not the right time until now."

Parker's eyes grew wide.

"You wanted to have a baby with my Dad for two years?"

"Well two years ago it was by artificial insemination, but yes that is true."

"Bones, don't tell him that."

"Booth, there is nothing wrong with talking to him about these things. Honesty is very important." She turned to look at Parker.

"Parker, this is something we really wanted. You will always be part of our family. I love you like a son, and I will always love you, even after the baby is born."

Booth's phone rang. He noticed it was Rebecca.

"I'm going to take this outside." He left the room.

"But this baby will be here all the time. You will see it every day; you will have to love it more." Bones moved to sit next to Parker on his bed.

"No, I can love you both the same. Parker we already know you and love you. I love your nonstop talking, and your love of science, I love the way you light up a room just by walking in. Your Dad loves to play sports with you, and your courage, and the way you smile whenever you see him. Parker you are very important to us. We will always love and care for you."

Booth had finished his phone call and was listening outside the door. He was shocked at what Bones said. He didn't think he could love her anymore than he did at that moment.

He walked back into the room.

"Hi Parks, are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah, I guess so Dad. Maybe it will be fun to have a baby sister. "

Bones interjected, "It could be a brother."Booth decided to change the subject.

"Well, I have some good news. It seems that Bones talked to your mom, and she agreed to let you come here more often, and in the summer, you can stay with us for a while, at least a few weeks."

"Really?"

"Yep, that's what she said."

"Why did she change her mind? She never lets me see you?"

"I'm not sure Bud, but Bones must be very convincing. When we take you home tomorrow, we are going to have a meeting to see what days you can come here."

Parker jumped off the bed and threw his arms around Booth.

"Dad, you're the best."

He ran to Bones and pulled her close, kissing her on the cheek.

"Thanks, Bones. You must be very smart to convince my Mom, Dad and I have been trying for years."

"Well Parker, I am a genius."


End file.
